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Epilepsy, Febrile Seizures, and ADHD: What's the Link?

Risk of ADHD more than three times higher than for those without a history of either condition

HealthDay News — Children who suffer from epilepsy or febrile seizures may face a higher risk of also having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study published online July 13 in Pediatrics.

The study looked at children born in Denmark from 1990 through 2007, tracking them until 2012. The investigators found those with epilepsy seemed to have nearly three times the risk of developing ADHD compared to children without epilepsy (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 2.72). And children who had febrile seizures appeared to have an almost 30% increased risk of ADHD (IRR, 1.28).

Children with both epilepsy and febrile seizures had a risk of ADHD more than 3 times higher than those without a history of either condition (IRR, 3.22). The findings held even after the researchers took into account other factors that might have affected risk, such as birth weight and family history of neurodevelopmental disorders or epilepsy.

"Our findings indicate a strong association between epilepsy in childhood and, to a lesser extent, febrile seizure and subsequent development of ADHD, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and perinatal risk factors, and family history of epilepsy, febrile seizures, or psychiatric disorders," the authors write.